Apparatus for making rubber fenders



Oct. 11, 1938. P. P. CRlSP ET AL.-

APPARATUS MAKING RUBBER FENDERS Filed July 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 11, 1938-. P. P. CRISP El AL,

APPARATUS FOR MAKING RUBBER FENDERS I Filed July 15, 1935 2 ShetsSheet 2 INVENTORS H NMW 2; T PGA/ A m 05% 2 Mm mm .15 in open heat, without the use of molds.

Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED fSTA-TES PA orifice I Appfimfim Juli 1 35, serial to. 21,226

e-claims. ((311 This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for the manufacture of rubber goods that are generally of strip form and have longitudinal and transverse curvature, and-more es- 5 pecially it relates to improved procedure and improved apparatusfor the manufacture-of rubber fenders for motor vehicles.

The chief objects of theinvention are to provide an improved method for the expeditious vulcanization of rubber fenders for motor cars; and to provide improved and simplified apparatus for the practice of the improved method. More specificallythe invention aims to efiect the vulcanization of articles of the character mentioned Economics of time, labor, and. equipment 'also are contemplated. Other objects will be manifest.

Of the accompanyingdrawings:

uJFigure 1 is a side elevation of a'complete ap- 0 paratus for use in-concurrently vulcanizing a plurality of rubber fenders; I .1

Figure 2 is a plan' view of one of theforms upon which a work-unit is mounted during vulcanization, and the work thereon; M a

*25 Figure 3 is a perspective view of a work-unit as it appears before being mounted upon a vulcanizing form;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 30 Figure 5 is an end viewof the structureshown in Figure 4, on a larger scale, as viewedfrom the left thereof; I V

Figure 6 is a transverse section through the medial region of a vulcanizing form, and 'the 35 work thereon, as they appear when in position for vulcanization, but before vulcanization begins; and i Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the work as it appears at the completion of the 40 vulcanizing operation.

Referring to the drawings, I0 designates a form or work support upon which the work is secured and supported during vulcanization. Said work-supporting form comprises a longitudinally 45 arcuate structure upon the outer peripheral face of which the work may be mounted, said arcuate structure also being transversely arcuate in a region of substantial width along one lateral margin thereof. A removable, arcuate, longi- 50 tudinally extending gauge plate II is secured to the work-supporting face of structure It], by means of cap screws I2, along the margin thereof that is opposite said transversely arcuate margin, said plate constituting a guide against which 55 a margin of the work abuts for properly positioning the latter on the support. The cap screws I2 extendthrough respective slotsl3 that are .disposedftransve'rsely in the gauge plate,

the arrangement being such that said gauge plate may be adjusted. laterally to accommodate 5 the work -support to work of various widths.

As-shownin Figure 2, the structure I!) describes --an arc of substantially 180 and has slightly diverging extensions atits respective ends. It

is laterallyreinforced by a plurality of integral 10 Jradial and-transverse ribsIO Ill Work mounted upon thesupport I0 is secured thereto at its respective end portions, and to this end arcuate clamps I5 are positioned at the extensions at the respective ends of the arcu- .15 ate structure ID.. Each clamp is pivotally mountedat one .of its endsupon a rod I6 that is supported between a pair of brackets I1, I! that are secured to a flange lo that extends inwardly from that margin of the structure upon which gauge plate II is mounted. The clamp is 1 constructed and arranged to transverse the worksupporting surface of the support, and has its free end slotted at I8, Figures 5 and 4, to re- 1 ceive ailatch-bolt I9 that is pivotally mounted upon a rod-20 that is supported between two brackets 2|, 2|. The latter are formed integral with the .structure I0 on the inner periphery of the transversely arcuate marginal portion thereof. WA, spring-pressed keeper 22 is mounted on therfree. end of the latch-bolt and is adapted tor'engage with the clamp to retain the latchbolt within the slot I8 therein. The clamps I5 and latch-bolts I9 are slidable longitudinally of their respective pivot rods I6 and. 20 to the end that said clamps and latch-bolts may be positioned' at ldifierent points so as to accommodate work of various lengths.

Each clamp I5 has-a longitudinal series of pins 23, 23 projecting from its concave face for the purpose of impaling the 40 end portions of the Work and holding the latter firmly to the support.

The work, designated 25, is shown in its initial form in Figure 3. It consists of an elongate strip or slab of .unvulcanized rubber composition that may be formed in a continuous length, as by an extruding machine, and thereafter cut into individual units of the desired length. As shown, the work-unit is formed with one square longitudinal margin and one rounded or beaded longitudinal margin, and a longitudinally extending rib 25 on one face thereof, but it will be understood that these oharacteristics of the work may be varied without in any way affecting the invention.

vulcanization of the work is effected in open heat in a horizontal vulcanizer (not' shown) of usual construction while the supporting form l0- with the work thereon is disposed in determinate angular or inclined position with relation to the horizontal. To this end a carriage 21 is provided, which carriage carries a plurality of supporting frames 28, 28 that support respective forms It at an angle'of 30-35 tothe horizontal, the medial, arcuate portion of each form being uppermost. This arrangement of the forms 10 is an important feature in efiecting the vulcanization of the work, and it also permits an overlapping arrangement of the forms whereby economy of space is obtained. The carriage 21 .may be provided with flanged wheels 29, 29 to permit it readily to be moved into and out of a vulcanizer that is provided with suitable track-rails, .and a wheeled truck 30 may be provided for conveying the carriage 21 to and from the vulcanizer.-

The methodof practicing theinvention with .the previously describedapparatus isas follows:

An unvulcanized work-unit 25 is placed upon a supporting form LB with its square margin abutting the edge .of gauge-plate l l, assuming the position shown in broken lines in Figure ,6. The work-unit is then stretched longitudinally about .theiorm, each way fromitsmiddle, and its end portions secured in place by means of the respective clamps :15. The stretching of the workunit elongates it aboutthreeinches at eachend,

and .places the entire unit. underwlongitudinal tension, with the result that the unsupported marginal portion of the unit, about the transversely arcuate marginal portion of .the form, is constricted and drawn toward. said arcuate portionof the form as is clearly shown in iull lines in Figure 6. V

The form It! with the work 25 thereon is then .mounted .upon the carriage 12.1, in the inclined position shown'zin Figure 1, andthelatter moved into a vulcanizer where the .work is subjected to open, vulcanizing .heat. During the initial phase of .the .vulcanizing operation, :the rubber composition of the vwork softens, and,because of the :force of .gravity .and the tension previously imparted to;the work, theiunsupported marginal portion of the vlatter'is drawn inwardly .untilpit rests upon the transversely arcuate portion of the form, as .shown in Figure '7. In this position of thework-the vulcanizationthereof is completed so that .it .is'permanently shaped conformity with the longitudinal and transverse curvature of the 'form. After vulcanization the work is removed from the form, washed, and its ends trimmed to giveit proper length.

The improved method is practiced with the relatively simple apparatusdescribedand theinlimited wholly to the specific construction shown or exact procedure described.

"What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for making rubber articles, the combination of a work support, means for moun ing an unvulcanized rubber article thereon under tension that is parallel to two opposite margins thereof of which one of said margins rests upon said support and the other is in spaced relation thereto, and means for supporting said work support in.a position such that the nu supportedmarginal portion of the article is urged towardsaid supportby gravity.

v2. zInapparatus for making rubber articles, the combination of a form that is curved longitudinally to ,describean arc of not more than and has one lateral marginal portion that is arcuate transversely so-asato present a convex surfaceto the outerface of the :form, and clamping ,means .at the respective ends of the form for ,engaging the respective ends .of work thereon.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 including anadju'stable gauge-plate mounted upon and coextensive with the lateral marginal portion that is not transversely arcuate.

.4. In apparatus for making-rubber articles, the combination of a work-supporting .form that is generally arcuate longitudinally, one lateral marginal portion' of the .form being convex on its outer periphery, a laterally adjustable gaugeplate on the outer periphery of the other marginal portion of theiorm, and means atthe respectiveends of the form for anchoring the work to the outerperiphery of the form.

5. A combination as'defined in claim .4 including [means for adjusting the work-anchoring means longitudinally of the .form.

6. In apparatus for making rubber articles, the

combination of a longitudinally arcuate work support that is of irregular transverse shapeso that a .flat strip of material thereon will stand in spaced relation to a portion .of the support, anchoring means at the respective .ends of the support for maintaining an article in tensioned condition upon theouterperimeter of said sup- ..port, and means ,for positioning the support in oblique position with relation to the horizontal.

PARK P. CRISP. 'WILLIAM E. 'HAGGAN. 

